Reply #47: "Wasn't the cat originally domesticated in the middle east?"

[Katzenjammer]

Yes. :) Felis sylvestris lybica, the North African wildcat, is now generally considered to be the ancester of all housecats. They used to think that other felis species, such as f. chaus, also contributed, but apparently DNA testing says not.

What's interesting is that lybica cats seem to be unique in their curiosity and pro-social nature. The other f. sylvestris races are very distinctively wild even as kittens, but even "wild" lybica kittens are apparently ready to move in with humans if given any encouragement such as a trailed string, wiggled fingers, or a bowl of food.